Our April 18th meeting brought a delightful reunion of some of our Oregon sisters making the journey to visit our wonderful Gaston chapter, and let me tell you, the Phytian Sister spirit was truly alive! The afternoon began with warm welcomes of Sarah Murphy (Oregon Grand Chief), Shelley Corby, Myra Siegal, Beverly Cox, and Maureen Murphy to our Gaston Temple.
We gifted Sarah, our Oregon Grand Chief, with a mug created by the Gaston School District (GSD) machine shop with the Pythian Sisters emblem engraved as well as a $50 donation to the grand temple for her charity, Doernbecher.
Our MEC, Brenda Leach, also received a wonderful gift of flowers and a lovely assortment of yummy chocolates.
After a delicious meal prepared by our gracious Gaston Sisters (seriously, these ladies know how to cook, bake, and throw down), we dived into a lively discussion about past and upcoming events. The annual Steak Feed was a hot topic, with everyone buzzing with ideas and excitement. We also shared some best practices for chapter meetings, recruitment, and scholarships for graduating seniors. After all, the stronger each chapter is, the stronger the entire Oregon Pythian family becomes!
We shared about our recent projects where we contributed cameras, funds for the 2024 Prom, and funds for the Theater Club. We received heartfelt cards for supporting GSD in 2023-2024. As part of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM), the Theater Program at GSD has had amazing success in getting our students both on and behind the stage with riveting performances, excellent storylines, and wonderful acting.
Our meeting time wasn’t all business! We spent plenty of time simply getting to know and reconnect with each other. Laughter filled the hall as we talked about past conventions and car shows, shared stories from our personal lives, and just connected. It was a heartwarming display of the strong bonds that tie us together as Pythian Sisters. As the meeting came to an end, we acknowledged that traveling distance was no match for our bonds and friendships, and we are still in touch with phone calls, texts, and emails.
This visit was a shining example of what the Pythian Sisterhood is all about: sharing, connecting, and learning from one another. We left the meeting feeling inspired, motivated, and closer as a network. We can’t wait for the next opportunity to gather and celebrate the incredible women who make up the Oregon Pythian family!
A special thank you to our wonderful Hillsboro and Yamhill sisters!
In Friendship, Love, and Charity,
Wapato 47 Pythian Sisters
